Music to My Ears

This post is dedicated to my drumming and the progress I’ve made over the last few years. They say most people break their New Year’s resolutions within a week—but not me.

Back in the fall of 2013, I made a promise to myself: I would "re-enlist" in drum lessons as soon as my car was off the books. Lessons aren’t cheap, so I spent months aggressively paying down the loan. I was two years ahead of schedule on a car I hardly drove, and I realized it made no sense to keep paying for a depreciating asset sitting in the driveway. I sold it, freed up the cash, and never looked back.

I immediately reconnected with my old drum instructor. While I never truly stopped practicing, I had dropped down to once every two weeks; now, I was back to a weekly grind.

Drumming has been a godsend. I’m a "late bloomer" who started lessons in my early 40s after re-evaluating my priorities following a divorce. The kit gave me a place to focus. While learning at an older age has its challenges, I give it my all every time I sit down behind my black 5-piece Pearl kit.

From the start, I had a burning desire to play real music—not just the rudiments you learn in middle school. Finding drum sheet music online felt like looking for a diamond in the sand, but I persisted. Today, I have several 3-inch binders filled with everything from 80s metal (Poison, Ratt, AC/DC) to country and dance hits.

Eighteen months into my journey, I posted a "Wanted" ad on Craigslist and joined a band. We practiced individually and met once a month to rehearse. We even played out a few times to get some stage experience! Eventually, we went our separate ways because I wanted to play more often than the rest of the group, but it was an invaluable experience.

As I look ahead, here are my drumming goals for 2014: